For such an awfully nice fellow, he just could not make friends...

During his fifty years as an actor, Peter Cushing found himself up against many monsters (some of whom he created) of varying creepiness. From his star-making role as Baron Frankenstein, the monster hunter certainly had his hands full...

The Curse of Frankenstein (1956): Playing the Baron in this super Hammer horror, Cushing creates his monster (Christopher Lee) from various hacked limbs but has to destroy the thing when it goes on the rampage. Repeating the role in Revenge of Frankenstein (1958), Evil of Frankenstein (1964), Frankenstein Created Woman (1967), Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed (1969), and Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell (1973), the monsters and the films have varied, but Cushing’s performance remained excellent throughout.

The Abominable Snowman (1957): Intelligent Val Guest science fiction thriller, with Cushing’s scientist Dr John Rollison leading an expedition to find the Yeti, only to learn there is something more other-worldly about this particular monster.

Dracula (1958): Brilliant Hammer horror with Cushing excelling himself as the resourceful Dr Van Helsing as he fights the ultimate vampire king (Christopher Lee). Van Helsing later fought the count’s disciple Baron Meinster (David Peel) in The Brides of Dracula (1960), while his equally intrepid descendent tackled the man himself in Dracula AD 1972 (1972) and The Satanic Rites of Dracula (1973). The original vampire hunter even found his adversary hiding out in the Far East in Legend of the Seven Golden Vampires (1974).

The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959): Cushing gives his finest performance as Sherlock Holmes, battling the ferocious (and rather feeble-looking) dog that has cursed the Baskerville family for centuries. Cushing played the Great Detective in a 1968 TV series and turned up years later in The Mask of Death (1984), looking very frail but never losing his spark.

The Mummy (1959): Cushing plays crippled archaeologist John Banning, who ignores native warnings and activates a mummy (Lee again) that wrecks havoc.

The Gorgon (1964): As Dr Namaroff, this is one of the few times Cushing plays an evil man. This time he’s dealing with the snake-haired Megera (Barbara Shelley). Being a villain, you know his days are numbered.

Dr Who and the Daleks (1965): Silly but endearing sci-fi with Cushing as the much-loved Time Lord up against his most famous foe. He returned to the TARDIS for the sequel Daleks: Invasion Earth 2150 (1966).

The Skull (1965): Minor Amicus classic with Cushing’s art collector Christopher Maitland falling foul of the Skull of the Marquis de Sade.

Island of Terror (1966): Jolly bit of sci-fi set in Ireland with Cushing as Dr Stanley; a scientist who finds out the local cancer research centre has produced murderous blobby monsters that thrive on bone! Watch with a sense of humour.

Night of the Big Heat (1967): Tired science fiction, featuring more blobby monsters generating a devastating heat wave on an island off Cornwall. Cushing has a decent guest spot as local medic Dr Stone.

The Blood Beast Terror (1967): Cushing considered this his worst film, but it's not all bad, although the giant moth monster couldn’t frighten an audience at a children’s pantomime. Cushing is Inspector Quennell, who investigates a series of horrific murders caused by the moth. It was the only time he played a policeman, and one with a slight Holmesian bent.

The Vampire Lovers (1970): Back to familiar Hammer territory with Cushing as General Speildorf. After losing his daughter to evil vampire Carmilla (Ingrid Pitt), the General joins a group of vampire hunters dedicated to her destruction.

I Monster (1970): Adaptation of Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde, although the names have been changed to Dr Marlow & Mr Blake (Christopher Lee). Cushing is Marlow’s lawyer Frederick Utterson, who learns exactly who the mysterious and evil Blake is following a series of strange events.

The Twins of Evil (1971): More Hammer nonsense with Cushing as bad-tempered vampire-chasing puritan Gustav Weil, burning as many pretty girls at the stake as he is hunting down the undead.

Tales from the Crypt (1972): Anthology film included here not only because it was Cushing’s finest ever performance, it was the one time he actually played a monster. When a spiteful neighbour drives Cushing’s elderly dustman Arthur Grimesdyke into committing suicide, the lonely old man’s rotting corpse rises from the grave to exact revenge.

Horror Express (1972): Highly enjoyable thriller with Cushing and Lee as Victorian scientists Dr Wells and Professor Saxton, keeping a typical stiff upper lip while dealing with a space-aged monster, angry Cossacks and hysterical foreigners. One memorable scene has a Russian police inspector (who is possessed by the alien) asking Cushing and Lee if one of them is the monster. “Monster!” replies a shocked Cushing. “We’re British you know!”

The Creeping Flesh (1972): Dark companion piece to Horror Express. Cushing gives one of his best performances as Professor Emmanuel Hildren, a scientist who discovers a skeleton that grows flesh when in contact with water; you know what happens next! What makes the film so interesting are the skeletons that exist in the scientist’s cupboard.

The Beast Must Die (1974): Daft detective yarn in which the viewer joins the detective (Calvin Lockhart) in discovering the identity of a werewolf from a group of suspects (we get a ‘Fright Break” at the end). Cushing is on hand as Norwegian werewolf expert (and possible suspect) Dr Lundgren.

The Ghoul (1975): The title says it all. Cushing is tortured former clergyman Dr Lawrence, luring victims to his home, where his flesh-eating son hides out in the attic. It’s a bit slow and depressing.

Legend of the Werewolf (1975): More wolf-man antics with Cushing as sardonic Holmesian police pathologist Professor Paul Cantiflanque, investigating a series of gruesome murders in Paris. The film is a little shoddy but it’s nice seeing Cushing play comedy.

Shock Waves (1976): A very stylish lower-than-low budget horror flick shot in Florida. In his last really satisfactory horror role, Cushing is Scar, a former SS commandant living on a deserted island with a guilty secret. He was once in charge of an army of Nazi zombies with the ability to fight underwater. Unfortunately a group of stranded holiday-makers find this out the hard way.

At the Earth’s Core (1976): Fun Edgar Rice Burroughs adventure full of cheap sets and dodgy special effects. Cushing has a hilarious time as the zany Dr Abner Perry, dealing with nasty Sagoths (“They’re so excitable, like all foreigners!”) and hideous Mahars with comical aplomb!

The Uncanny (1977): In his last horror film for some time, Cushing deals with a more homely monster. He plays Wilbur Gray, a nervous, fearful writer who tells three creepy tales to his publisher (Ray Milland) as proof that cats will take over the world. He’d better watch himself on the way home!

Not bad for a ghoulish night's work!

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